Snape Walks Into a Bar
by Wile
Summary: and meets Hermione Granger. Some interesting twists and turns occur in their relationship. Hideaway Snape Walks Into a Bar challenge response
1. Prologue: Thus It Begins

Disclaimer: Hermione and Snape belong to JKR; not mine, never were/will be/etc. so please don't sue.

* * *

Snape walks into a bar. It's not one of those particularly stunning establishments with top of the line service, but it's not one of those particularly seedy places either. It's one of those back alley hard to find places tucked far away from the hustle and bustle of London tourists. 

Snape eyes the place warily as he orders his drinks and notices one Hermione Granger staring at him from a nearby table. After paying for his scotch on the rocks and vodka he walks to her table and sits down. They sit in silence for several minutes, Hermione still staring at her former professor.

"Too shocked for words, Miss Granger, or are you practicing for a staring contest with a dog?" he says with his usual venom.

She blinks and looks down at her drink as if contemplating it: rum and coke, nothing special really. She doesn't respond for several moments, swallowing the comment. Instead, she opts for a question.

"Why did you sit her, sir?"

It's obvious no love has been lost between the two since her graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Deciding not to indicate his initial surprise at finding her in such a place, one he walked into nonetheless, he simply states "A familiar face and curiosity." As if having to clarify further and remain true to form he adds in a harsh tone 'and to get you to stop staring rudely." She avoids his incessant gaze and shifts uncomfortably. He smirks slightly not wanting to give away his enjoyment of her obvious discomfort too much.

"I, um," she clears her throat. "I didn't mean to stare, sir. I just didn't expect to see you, or anyone I knew for that matter, here." She knows she is on the verge of losing her courage, but she tries to cover it up as best she can. All truth be told, he scares her more now than when he did in her time as a student. Her protection is gone, but a small part of her knows she should not be as afraid as she is. He is only trying to intimidate her. Knowing his success pleases him, she does her best to calm down and steady herself.

They continue to drink in silence. Occasionally she feels his eyes on her: watching her, studying her. She tries her best to not show him that it is getting to her.

"Miss Granger, do stop fidgeting," he commands sharply.

"Sorry, sir," she says in response. "It's just that you make me nervous." She knows she shouldn't have told him that. It'll only lead to further trouble, but it just came out.

He scowls deeply at her comment. Picking up his glass, he realizes it is empty. Noticing her glass is empty as well, he stands and inquires after her poison of choice.

Simply she states "Whatever you're having." An eyebrow raises at the statement, but no question follows as he wanders off in the direction of the bar.

Without his immediate presence, it as if she has woken from a spell. Hermione wonders how she got to the point of drinking with former professors, well, former professor, singular, at a bar in the middle of muggle London no less. As he makes his way back, Hermione finally takes notice of his dress: black trousers and a white button down shirt, untucked. His hair is shorter than she remembers, just as greasy looking, but also tinged by hints of grey. He does not appear any older though, and she is sure he is looking more worn than he did when she was still his student.

"Is there a problem, Granger."

"I was just thinking," she says as he hands her another rum and coke. He places a shot of vodka in front of her which she downs immediately.

"You should be careful with that, Miss Granger," he says in a rough tone.

She chuckles. "You're one to talk," comes the quick response.

"I was merely alluding to the fact you shouldn't trust what's in that drink you swallowed without pause."

Hermione looks at him suddenly worried. "You didn't . . . did you?"

He smirks nastily. "I might have, but what would I have to gain from date raping my former student? Of course, this isn't a date to begin with and you're a Gryffindor. Our kind don't mix for a good reason." She looked a bit relieved but carefully inspected her rum and coke anyway. "I should hope you don't just accept drinks unquestioningly from strange men on a regular basis."

She nearly chokes at the statement. It is very unlike her professor but so like him at the same time. The trademark look of resentment and disgust covering his face tells her everything she needs to know.

"What did I tell you about staring?"

She avoids him by looking everywhere else. He takes the opportunity to really take in her appearance. She has changed little from the girl who graduated several years back, except that she is more timid and reserved. This Hermione Granger is less confident. He saw the fear in her eyes when she first saw him. He could have left then, but he chose not to. It was not that he wanted companionship, especially not from someone he spent seven years hating. And it was not out of curiosity like he previously told her. It was because he wanted to show her she didn't need to be frightened of him . . . of them.

She excuses herself to the loo and finds he has refreshed their drinks again when she comes back. She tries to give him five quid, but he refuses it. He gives no reason, and she decides not to ask. For awhile it is merely enough to sit in silence, but eventually she caves.

"Professor, why are you here?"

"I needed a drink," he responds knowing that wasn't really the answer she wants.

"No, why are you in muggle London?"

"I needed a drink."

"Fine, but I'm not as stupid as you look." He head snaps up as soon as she says it. She knows she is staring again, but this time it is out of shock at herself not him.

"You have a very low thresh hold for alcohol, Miss Granger," is his only response; however it is delivered with more than the usual amount of sarcasm and menace indicating his initial displeasure.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't . . . I don't . . . I'm sorry."

Suddenly, he chuckles. It is a sound foreign to both of them, but it does not feel entirely misplaced. Hermione cannot help laughing a bit too. By now she is wondering what has gotten into her. A thought is beginning to form in the back of her mind, but she is inebriated enough for it to get no further. Snape offers to buy the next round, but Hermione insists she pay since he bought the previous two rounds. By this time they are both becoming pleasantly drunk. Hermione's inhibitions loosen faster than Snape's despite the differences in their drink choice.

Slurring her words, she asks, "Were we really that bad, Sev . . I mean, Professor? You always seemed like you hated teaching potions, but were we that bad?"

He is drunk enough to not care if he is telling the truth or not. "The students, Granger, yes. Most you lot with a few exceptions. But teaching potions . . ." quietly he says "I enjoy teaching potions."

"I knew it!" she exclaims happily.

He scowls in his typical manner at the outburst. "Granger, shut up."

"Yes, sir." Several seconds later she giggles. He glares at her. "Sorry, sir." She cannot help smiling at him anyway. He downs the rest of his drink and slams the glass down. He gets up to leave and walks several steps before she calls to him. He stops and waits as she catches up to him. "Walk me home?"

"Why?"

"Because it's not safe for a young woman like me to go home alone when drunk," she explains quite clearly despite her drunken state. She does not intend the double entendre; however, he does not question her.

"Fine," is his terse response. He allows her to lead the way until she stops at a corner and looks confused. "Lost are you, Granger?" he inquires mockingly.

Sarcastically she responds "No. Just give me a pizza. I can use it as a compass to lead me home."

They stand on the corner for several moments. "Granger, I have half a mind to leave you here."

"Only half, sir? What's the other half doing?"

He smiles a bit maniacally. There is a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"On second thought, I don't want to know." She looks around and makes a decision. Turning right, she says "It's this way." He follows her again, not feeling nearly as drunk as he did when they left. She teeters toward him a bit and he puts a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "Thanks." They walk for several more minutes, and she says out of nowhere "I need a kebab." He keeps his stony silence. Quietly, she says "Just thought you should know." Again he gives no response. His quiet is obviously getting to her, so, in order to amuse herself, she sings "Show me the way to go home . . . I'm tired and I want to go to bed. I had a little drink about an hour ago and it's gone straight to my head . . ." She no sooner finishes and they have reached her apartment building. "Ooh! This is me!"

"Thank Merlin," he says, raising his eyes to the sky in thanks.

She fumbles with her keys for a moment before finding the right one to unlock the door. She lets herself in and turns to see him walking away. "Thank you," she calls out adding quietly to herself "Severus."

End Chapter 1

* * *

**A/N:** Will update soon and certain things will be answered in time, also it shifts to past tense in future chapters. **Please review.** And thanks for the challenge Vamps! 

Experimental use of present tense as set up by the first sentence. My response to "Snape Walks Into a Bar" challenge at the Hideaway. Must include:

The words 'Snape walks into a bar' must be contained fully with the first three sentences of the fic.

Hermione must be one of the following: - in her last year of Hogwarts  
- working at Hogwarts

- studying at a university

- Or training with Ron and Harry to become an Auror.

Hermione and Snape hate each other to begin with but with the help of alcohol they begin to become very flirtatious friends.

Must have parings are: - HG/SS

Harry and Ron don't disown or hate Hermione and Snape's relationship.

Hermione and Snape don't fall in love with in the first week.

If you choose to have Voldermort alive you must at some point in the fiction kill him off.

Snape must secretly enjoy teaching potions

Someone must say three of the following (at any point in the story) :

'I'm not as stupid as you look'

'give me the pizza, I can use it as a compass'

'I need a kebab'

'You can't drink that its glowing'

'Can I eat your nose?'

'Can I bite your shoulder?'

'I must have BOOZE!'

Someone must sing: 'Show me the way to go Home...I'm tired and I want to go to bed, I had a little drink about an hour ago and its gone stright to my head.' (credit to film Jaws for that one. and you can use the full song if you know it)


	2. Six Weeks After

Looking back, he was not entirely sure what kept him coming back. That's not to say he didn't know completely why, but there was a part of him that questioned his own motivations. One thing was certain, no one dared question him on the matter. He was a hero of the war, once all the controversy and shadows cleared anyway. Without him Voldemort would have been much stronger when Potter finally decided it was time to take the Dark Lord down. However, Snape's intervention from the inside weakened Voldemort enough that Harry was able to do what he could not for years: destroy Voldemort once and for all. But something still remained. Harry Potter was gone from the wizarding world while he still remained. The thought often bothered him to no end. Some said it was because he was a compassionate man after all. Others thought he had cracked under the extreme pressure of being a double agent. He knew it was something else. Harry would be destroyed in the process of destroying his nemesis. Snape could only watch as The-Boy-Who-Lived-Only-To-Suffer-A-Horrible-Fate saved everyone from the evil of He-Who-Formerly-Must-Not-Be-Named-But-Was-Called-Voldemort-Since-His-Demise.

: P

Hermione drank to get away from everything. She was not sure how much further away from all she knew that she could get, but drinking seemed to help, at least in her mind. Her parents never understood why she left the wizarding world. None of it mattered to her anymore though, not since Harry suffered such a horrid death by all accounts, well, one account. She had been every which where during the war, but none of it came to much except exposure to death and destruction. The worst part was not being there for Harry when he needed her. Except that Ron had needed her at the time too and Harry forced her to safe him. So all she heard was what Snape told everyone about Harry's last minutes. With him it was never the whole story. She knew there was more, much more.

She never had the opportunity to say good bye. They all knew they should have said it. They didn't. If she could have it all back again, she would just for the opportunity to let Harry go properly. So the following weeks she would go to the same bar at the same time and hope he would show up. It didn't matter to her what brought him back, just that he came, which he did week after week. He was the only connection to her past, and it all had come out of nowhere. By no means did she even come near to trusting him, but she allowed him to walk her the distance home each week. Of all the people who had a chance of bringing her back, he was the only one.

: P

He knew that she was flirting with him. He figured she probably was well aware of that fact as well. Each passing week she did it with an increasing intensity. He also knew why she kept coming back. That was no mystery to either of them. By all accounts, she did not seem to care as long as he was there.

"Granger, you can't drink that," he said, glaring at the concoction in front of her.

"Why not, _Severus_?"

At this point it must be state that both of them were really quite drunk. Also, she used his given name rather freely when drunk, probably to annoy him all the more. He, for his part, was unsure but let it go in an attempt to not completely alienate her.

"Because, _Hermione_, it's glowing." He stressed her first name out of annoyance.

She smiled mischievously and downed the drink in one swallow. Snape made a face in disgust. She responded by licking her lips in a mildly seductive manner.

"That's disgusting!" He made a face to go along with the comment.

"And that's not?" she pointed with her thumb to the couple making out in the corner behind her. "I mean, he's totally trying to undress her. And in public no less!"

Snape chuckled at the face she made. Hermione definitely did not have complete control of her faculties when drunk. And she hated it when he laughed at her. It only caused her to make more faces at him.

He quickly downed the shots on the table to suppress his laughter a bit. He knew there was something to be said about being drunk, he just was not sure what it was at that exact moment. Of course, he did not particularly care either. Not to mention that Granger looked that much better when he was drunk.

Her womanly features had not been lost on him. He was a man after all. He was bound to notice such things eventually. He just was not about to pay someone to satisfy his urges anytime soon. He also was not about to jump in bed with any woman. Enough of them threw themselves in his direct path, but it was for his fame and the fact he had been present at the end of Potter's life as he knew it. Snape would not allow himself to be used when he was also using someone else. It seemed beneath him somehow. He did have his dignity after all . . . except when it came to Granger.

Snape rose to get himself more to drink. As he walked past Hermione, she pulled him back. "Granger," he growled.

"Sit down. You've had enough."

He raised an eyebrow but acquiesced nonetheless. "You've had more," he responded logically, amazed that his logic was still mostly intact after how much he had actually imbibed.

"And it was too much," she replied as seriously as she could.

He got up again. She tried to prevent him again but stopped after taking note of the look in his eyes. In a low voice he said, "I must have BOOZE!" and stalked off in the direction of the bar. He returned with two shots of whisky. "Talk to me, Granger."

"What?" Confusion was clearly written on her face.

"Say anything. I don't care what. Just talk to me, Granger," he commanded a bit forcefully.

She stared at him for several minutes not saying anything. He slammed both shots down, nearly shattering the glasses on the table.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"Don't be," he responded.

They sat for several moments in silence desperately avoiding each other.

Quietly, he inquired, "Are you ready to go home?" She nodded. Grabbing their coats, he held hers out to her as she put it on.

"Thanks." He nodded almost imperceptibly. They walked most of the way in uncomfortable silence. The last drinks were beginning to kick in and they leaned on each other to maintain balance. It was the closest they had ever been physically speaking since the beginning of their encounters. Between being drunk and everything else, both knew things could go further than intended. Just as they turned the corner toward Hermione's her stomach rumbled loudly. She smiled out of embarrassment. From nowhere, she asked, "Can I eat your nose?"

He glared down at her briefly before responding, "Granger, I doubt you'd enjoy eating my beak of a nose."

She laughed at his poking fun of his own appearance.

Seriously, he made his own inquiry. "Can I bite your shoulder?"

Hermione stopped and turned to face Snape. He was by no means good looking. He never was and never would be, but she was not after his looks. "You can do a lot more if you tell me what I want to know."

It was a sobering comment for both of them. "I can't do that, Granger. I won't be used for information regarding Potter's last minutes."

"Then do it because you want to. I know you want me, Severus. Take me."

Her desperation was shining through at that very moment. It bothered him to no end that she would go that far to try and get information out of him about Harry. As such, he stopped things before they went any further. "Hermione, I'm going to walk you to your door and make sure you get into your apartment safely. After that I am going to apparate back Hogsmeade. Perhaps when we're both not drunk I will consider something more. Neither of us is thinking straight at the moment and it would be best if we avoid something we will come to regret in the morning."

She tried to protest briefly but his words made sense. He no sooner saw her through the door to her apartment then he was gone. She set her forehead against the cool door and groaned loudly. It was a good thing one of them had been the voice of reason. In the past, it would have been her, but so much had changed and there was so little she knew. Hermione took a shower and tucked herself into bed. It was late and she had class the next morning. Surely, had he not stopped her, she would have done things she would come to regret. At least she would be able to live with herself when she woke up instead of having to deal with yet another costly mistake.

End Chapter 2

* * *

A/N: Confused yet? Yeah, me too, but things'll get better as the fic progresses, have no fear. If there is something really bothering you though, please do let me know and I don't mean grammar issues. I know there's bound to be some. Please review. 


	3. The Following Week: Confusion

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.

* * *

He was supposed to hate her. She was a Gryffindor; he a Slytherin, but what did that mean anyway? What relevance to any of their lives did that have outside of Hogwarts? He didn't know, and it was safe to say no one really did. No one single person had the answers to life, the universe, and everything, which is why he tried to stop pondering it. The fact still remained, though, that she was getting under his skin slowly but surely, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to stop it.

: P

She was surprised to see him sitting there waiting for her. He had nothing to drink in front of him and appeared to be deep in thought. Something was definitely different this time. The air of change surrounded them and it was very, very thick. Taking a deep breath, she weaved her way through the group of people to his table . . . their table. It was the same table he found her sitting at the night everything started. It had been their table once a week every Thursday since.

"Can I get you anything to drink, sir?" she inquired as she shrugged off her coat and draped it over her chair.

"Granger, sit down," he commanded quietly.

A brief thought of defying him crossed her mind, but she did as instructed. She could not ascertain his exact mood, but it was already obvious she would get nowhere arguing with him. "Is there a problem?" Her brow furrowed a bit in thought.

"No. I merely with to attempt to have a sober evening with you for once."

"Sober as in zero alcohol sober? Or sober as in one or two drinks sober?" she asked.

He leaned forward. "Granger, for seven weeks we've been in a drunken stupor when we've met. For once let's at least attempt to have a normal conversation."

She visibly gulped. "Zero alcohol sober then . . ."

He scowled at her disappointment and . . . fear was it? More and more Hermione Granger reminded him of Weasley. Quite frankly that was more disturbing than anything else that happened between them of late. "Yes, Granger. No alcohol. If you can't carry a normal conversation with me while sober, then you can't talk to me drunk anymore either."

Her eyes went wide for a moment like a deer caught in headlights. Desperately she said, "Give me ale."

"Granger!" Snape growled.

Hermione narrowed her eyes in determination several moments later finally showing some of her fierce Gryffindor traits in response to his anger. "Fine!"

Countless minutes passed in silence following the exchange. Snape glared at some random spot behind her while Hermione fidgeted uncomfortably.

Muttering under her breath she said, "Hell of a place to be sober. I mean, it's only a bar and all."

He stood quickly and grabbed her coat. "Come with me."

She looked at him a little confused but took her coat and put it on anyway. They managed to get through the quickly growing crowd and into the street. Snape led them to a dark alley where he suddenly grabbed hold of her and apparated them to another dark alley. Hermione's eyes had not quite adjusted to her surroundings, but she was able to make out the architecture. If they were still in London, it was somewhere unfamiliar to her. He grabbed her hand and began navigating through a series of passages before stopping in front of a nondescript door. Snape tapped it twice with his wand and the door opened allowing them entrance. At this point Hermione was so turned around that even if she knew exactly where she was in daylight, she would not be able to find her way back.

"Professor, where are we?" she asked as she followed him up a creaky staircase. He did not respond but rather pushed her through the doorway at the top of the stairs and slammed home the locks. She looked around and found the one room flat to be nondescript on all accounts. It was almost exactly how she imagined her former professor would choose to live.

Turning away from her surrounding, she stared him down. This was all completely unorthodox even for him. She wanted, nay, needed answers. His complete ignorance of her at the moment meant she would have to continue to wait though. Hermione shifted impatiently several times before claiming a seat in the only chair present. He appeared to be looking for something and it could take some time before he finished so she figured she betting settle in a bit until he actually told her what he was up to.

As best as she could tell another ten minutes passed in silence between them before he made any motion toward her. He did not say a word as he threw a cloak at her. She looked at it a moment, looked at him, processed the look he was sending her, and swiftly put on the cloak. He once again grabbed her hand and apparated them elsewhere. Not only did this cause her to become even more lost, she was more quickly becoming more confused then ever.

"Stay here a moment," he whispered and disappeared into the dark. The only light came from the quarter moon hanging in the sky. She could just make out a residence in the distance and the surrounding wood. She was obviously in a forest clearing, but it was nowhere she was immediately familiar with. Hermione always knew Severus Snape to be somewhat cryptic, but his current actions were bordering on ludicrous in her mind. He said barely ten words to her in the last hour and none of them explained why she was standing in the middle of a forest at night wearing a cloak three full sizes too large.

To say this was not what she expected from her evening would be a gross understatement. Had things gone as planned, she would be very, very drunk right now trying to convince him she wanted more from him than information regarding Harry. She would be explaining for more than the first time why she was desperately avoiding her parents and the wizarding community at large. She would be telling him why she was studying Chemistry at a university in London. She knew she told him more than that even, that he was the only person privy to the last two or so years of her life. And she also knew she would have told him none of it if she was not drunk. She drank to get away from her problems, but he always brought them to the forefront of her mind. Was she really that desperate for attention that she would tell everything to Snape, or was it because she felt a kindred soul in him? Either way, it had landed her in the dark, alone and unprotected.

"Granger," came the whisper behind her. She jumped. Taking note of who it was, she was certain she saw the smirk of pleasuring without actually seeing his face.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on? I've been apparated to no less than _two_ strange places tonight not to mention deprived of alcohol in the process! I want to know what's going on."

Snape grabbed her arm and escorted her in the direction of the house. While she felt safer in his presence, part of her was still scared to death of what he was doing. He could kill her and leave her without anyone wondering what happened to her. She stopped abruptly.

"Granger!" he barked quietly.

'No. I demand to know what's going on. How do I know I can even trust you? For all I now you'll kill me or worse."

"Use some sense, woman!" he scolded. "If I wanted to kill you I would have by now. There's been more than ample opportunity."

They stared at each other for several moments.

"Where's you courage?"

Her stare turned into a glare.

"I stopped being a Gryffindor the day I graduated. I shouldn't have to tell you."

He dragged her to the door while muttering, "Bloody stubborn _ex_-Gryffindors" under his breath. She tried resisting but he was too strong for her. They reached the door and he knocked while announcing, "Severus Snape and Hermione Granger present." The door to the small house opened squeakily and Snape shoved Hermione over the threshold. He knew he could have told her what all this was about, but it was better for him not to tell. She would never believe him anyway. It was better she saw and heard for herself. It was better for all of them.

End Chapter 3

* * *

A/N: As usual, please review. Comments, questions, etc. are appreciating as long as you're not critiquing grammar (mistakes are normal, humans aren't perfect) or flaming. Cheers! 


	4. Revealing the Past

Disclaimer: Harry Potter . . . not mine . . . JKR's . . . I just borrow 'em from time to time . . .

* * *

She glanced back at Snape and regained whatever was left of her composure before taking in the small house. It was simple but homey. A roaring fire provided warmth and the only light while also casting dark shadows in the corners. Snape closed the door firmly behind him. Purposely bumping Hermione as he walked past her, he made himself comfortable in the chair by the fire. Someone else was present in the room and that someone nodded to Snape. That someone also handed him a glass of whiskey. Snape said his thanks and motioned for Hermione to sit. She began to but stopped as the person spoke.

"No, Severus. We must first see."

"Of course," he replied easily.

The figure moved slowly out of the shadows revealing his identity to Hermione. Several moments passed as she stared. He was definitely a he, but he was severely scarred and disfigured. At the same time, he was so very familiar right down (or up as it may be) to the lightening bolt scar on his gray hued forehead.

Had she anything in her hands at the moment, she surely would have dropped that anything. "Ha-Harry?" Hermione managed to squeak.

He smiled at looked back at Snape who motioned him forward. Hermione pulled Harry into a hug and was amazed by the bony mass that returned the embrace. Had she been able to hear his thoughts, Harry was thinking the same thing.

"What . . .how . . . who?" she asked in shock as they pulled apart.

"Hermione, please, sit down, and Severus and I will explain," Harry instructed gently.

She sat, still in obvious shock. Snape handed her a glass of whiskey and said, "This'll help." She took it absentmindedly but did not drink.

Harry looked at her trying to gauge her reaction. She was either in shock because he was not dead, because of his appearance, or a bit of both. He was not sure. All truth be told, he knew he was reminiscent of something akin to Voldemort and Frankenstein's monster. Trust Hermione to look past that and see what she remembered. Except he was not who she remembered at all. He was bitter and angry with the world for abandoning him. He had been attended to by some of the best healers in the wizarding world and they had been little to no help. Snape had even called in a few favors but nothing stuck for long. No, he was not the Harry of old at all.

"I thought you were dead," she said quietly.

He smiled his crooked imperfect smile. "I was."

'Are you . . that is, um, you're not . ."

"He's still human and very much alive, Hermione," Snape answered.

"Not the undead?"

Harry and Snape chuckled. "Far from."

"I'm just rather scarred from the merge."

"The merge?"

Harry looked a little nervously about him with a glance toward Snape who gave him the go ahead. There was so little Hermione knew and so much she would have to be told. Snape knew the risks in bringing her to Harry, but he also knew that it was better he deal with it sooner rather than later. It wasn't like she was a security risk; she was just a lot less predictable than she used to be.

"Potter, if you don't explain it, I'll be forced to, and you do tell it so much better than I," he said with an edge in his voice. Harry nodded.

Hermione was staring intently, taking in the appearance of her friend. It was disturbing, but his eyes had not changed. That was the one feature she knew she could trust, so she listened to everything that happened at the end of the war without immediate question or judgment. Right now all she needed to know was what no one was talking about, what really happened that night.

Harry's eyes glazed over a little as he recalled the events. "When I left you with Ron and chased down Voldemort, I ran into Snape. He insisted on being backup. I didn't argue since my only goal was destroying Voldemort once and for all no matter the cost. He was waiting for me with Wormtail and Lucius. Snape distracted them, nearly sacrificing himself in the process. Voldemort and I locked wands and I knew in that moment what I had to do.

"He took over my body. Our souls merged. I was Voldemort and he was me. We waged war. Severus described it to me as a continuous shape shift where one second I was myself, and the next I looked like Voldemort. It made me numb, but I couldn't let him gain complete control. I knew I was tiring faster than he was, but in my desperation I thought of everyone I was doing it for. In a final effort, I took my own life, killing him in the process."

Harry paused for a moment to regain his composure. Snape observed the two quietly. Hermione's face encompassed any number or emotions, the latest being grief. He did not want to feel sorry for her, but he found himself doing so nonetheless. His life changed so much after the war, and his involvement from the inside became public knowledge. That did not make people fear him less, but it did make his life less stressful. And he always had his teaching job to fall back on. He reflected on it all while Hermione and Harry reflected on their own lives briefly.

Harry began speaking again. "Apparently I was dead for several minutes."

"Felt like a bloody hour," Snape interjected quietly from his spot in the corner.

"Once Voldemort was dead and gone, the part that was. . is me surfaced. No one can explain it, and we've had experts and all try to make some sense of it. Anyway, my appearance is a direct result of the merge. The magic involved was so intense that there's no way to change back to my old self, to how I was. Snape and I made the decision that it would be best for me to go into hiding. If I even go near a muggle they start to go crazy. Some witches and wizards can't even be in my presence. If I so much as think some things, they happen. It's like I ooze magic."

"You must feel it, Granger?" Snape inquired.

She nodded weakly, really noticing Harry's magical aura for the first time. "Why didn't you try to contact Ron or me?" she asked.

"Mr. Weasley wouldn't believe this was Harry, not at first. You went incommunicado."

"Ron, uh, Ron's better off, Hermione . . ." Harry added.

"How can you say that, Harry! He's your best friend!"

Softly he replied, "He was your best friend too."

That gave her cause to pause for a moment. "I can't, I . . ."

Snape acted quickly and caught her as she fainted.

"Is there anything I can do? I didn't mean . . ." Harry looked at Snape worriedly.

"It's all right, Potter," came the response. "I'll take care of her. Can I trust you not to do anything rash?" Harry nodded. "She'll be back in time. I'll send Remus around later to see you. He'll want to know, of course. And I believe he may have some news for you from one of Minerva's contacts."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Don't thank me yet," Snape said. With that, he was gone, leaving Harry alone once again. He was alone with his thoughts and nightmares. As if he did not already have enough to worry about before, he could add Hermione to the list. With all that had happened since her disappearance, those worries were nothing to take lightly either.

End Chapter 4

* * *

A/N: Reviews, comments, questions, etc. are always appreciated but no flames please. 


	5. Planting the Seeds of Doubt

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry, Snape, Hermione, or any other related characters in the HP verse.

* * *

He could have simply levitated her behind him as he left the small secluded house that had become more like a prison than a home to Harry Potter; however, in the event she were to revive, it was much wiser to be carrying her. Two things became blaringly apparent to Snape in the process of carrying her though: the first thing was that she was quite bony under the bulky clothes she wore. Hermione Granger would not be considered fat or even necessarily overweight, but from what Snape could tell, she was clearly underweight. He processed that thought and apparated just outside of the Hogwarts' grounds. As he carried Hermione, the second obvious thing he noticed was just how light she was even after carrying her for a decent amount of time. This only served to worry him further in regards to her current state.

"Severus," Minerva McGonagall, current headmistress of Hogwarts, said as she came out to meet him. "What happened to Miss Granger? Why have you brought her here?"

"She'll be fine, Minerva. We need to get her to the infirmary though. Poppy will be able to care for her at the moment," came his reply. "I'll explain once she's safe."

"Of course."

The two professors walked in a companionable silence to the infirmary. McGonagall knew Snape better than anyone since Dumbledore's passing. In the end, his actions really had spoken for themselves and she had absolutely no reason not to trust him.

Once Hermione was safely entrusted in Madam Pomfrey's care for the night, McGonagall and Snape retired to the headmistress' chambers. He helped himself to some of her scotch as they sat quietly by the fire. She simply waited for him to speak on his own knowing full well it was best not to push him.

"I took Granger to see Potter," he said simply. She did not respond immediately. "I felt it was time to be honest with her and give her an opportunity to face her demons."

"Perhaps dealing with your own demons as well, Severus?" McGonagall inquired in a contemplative tone.

He considered the comment briefly. Turning away from her to help himself to more scotch he replied quietly, almost remorsefully, "Perhaps." Snape hung back in the shadows for a moment before sitting in front of the fire again. He sighed heavily. "Strange as it may sound, sometimes I miss the old coot."

McGonagall smiled a bit forlornly in remembrance. "We all do, Severus. I would be more surprised if you didn't. And as for Miss Granger, it sounds as if she desperately needs to reconnect with her past. You've done the right thing whether you believe so or not."

: P

Hermione woke slowly. She knew immediately she was not home, but she felt like she was at home nonetheless. After fully stretching, she opened one eye almost immediately followed by the other. She quickly sat up and looked around the room. It was a place she easily recognized but did not expect to be. Of course, after what happened the previous night, Hermione had no clue what to expect.

"Ah, Miss Granger, you've decided to rejoin the living again I see?"

"Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked still a bit shocked.

"Yes, dear. How do you feel?"

"Confused, but otherwise fine. What's going on?"

Madam Pomfrey dodged the question by stating, "I believe Severus would like to have a word with you know that you're awake. You're to go to the headmistress' office. You remember the way?" Hermione nodded. "The password is unity. Now, off with you. I have work to do."

"Thank you," Hermione said as she scurried out of the infirmary. Something clicked as she passed the threshold. "You did say headmistress, didn't you?"

"You'll see, dear," Madam Pomfrey said with a hint of a smile.

Hermione nodded and left, inwardly shrugging. Ever since Severus Snape came back into her life everything was becoming stranger and more complex. Harry was alive but not exactly Harry. Ron would not accept him, Snape was his friend, and Hogwarts had a headmistress. More and more she was beginning to think that leaving was a bad idea.

Lost in these thoughts, it felt like only several moments passed by the time she reached the gargoyles leading to the headmistress' office. "Unity," she said clearly and waited for the staircase to descend. She quickly found her way up and let herself in. no one was waiting for her when she arrived so she sat in one of the chairs across from the desk. The office looked similar to the way it had when Dumbledore was headmaster. Now, his portrait hung on the wall, sleeping. She wondered briefly if he had even woken since she last saw the portrait.

The fire crackled and briefly came to life as Snape and McGonagall came trough the floo network.

"Hermione, how good to see you!" McGonagall said, pulling the girl into the hug Hermione approached for. She held on tighter as Hermione began to sob lightly. McGonagall was not surprised by the girl's reaction. According to Snape, she had been under a great deal of stress the night before. This type of reaction was expected.

Snape hung back in the shadows being as unobtrusive as possible. He knew she saw him come through so he avoided her until she was ready for him. Snape knew how fragile Hermione really was in her current state, more than he was about to let on. He did not intend to break her. That would only serve to push her farther away from him . . . from them. Hermione was too important to the wizarding world. She was too strong, too knowledgeable, just simply too instrumental. She just did not know any of that yet.

Hermione began to loosen her grip on McGonagall. Snape helped Hermione to her seat and sat in the chair next to hers. McGonagall sat in her chair opposite them. While they waited for Hermione to regain her composure, Winky brought a breakfast tray to her.

"Thank you," she said quietly, picking up some toast and nibbling on it. Snape watched as she picked at her food.

McGonagall spoke first. "Hermione, we realize that you must have many questions after last night. We hope that we have done right by you in revealing Harry to you. However, it is important that you keep Harry's secret. If word got out . . ."

"People will call me crazy. Of course, I'm supposedly missing myself, am I not? It would look awfully suspicious if I were to suddenly reappear and say that not only do I know where Harry is, I also know he's been hiding because he looks like a bad rendition of Frankenstein!" Her voice rose with each sentence.

"Miss Granger, I understand your anger regarding the situation, however . . ." Snape began.

"Anger? Don't talk to me about anger, _Severus_! For _seven_ weeks I've put up with you digging into my psyche. I spent the better part of seven years with you doing the same before that. I'm pretty sure you didn't even try to understand my anger before then. Why start now?"

McGonagall moved to speak, but Snape held up a hand to stop her. Quiet, but demanding, he spoke. "Things have changed. Had you been here, you would know that. Don't judge what you don't know."

What ensued was a staring match that only ended when Headmistress McGonagall called them both children for their pettiness and bickering. "If Albus were here he'd have you both thrown out! Severus, I believe you have a class to teach in a couple of minutes. Miss Granger, you may do as you wish. We do not plan on keeping you hostage, do we Severus?" She gave him a rather pointed look.

Snape rose. "I was just leaving," he said menacingly.

Hermione stared at Snape's back as he left before collapsing into her chair. Everything had changed and she knew next to nothing about it. McGonagall was now headmistress, not a surprise really, but there had been no official head when Hermione graduated because of the war. Snape, as it turned out, could be nice when he wanted to be. And then there was Harry . . . She could not wrap her head around all of it. Sometimes Hermione knew exactly why she had left, but more and more she was beginning to doubt that leaving had been a good idea.

End Chapter 5

* * *

**A/N:** Chapter 6 to follow soon and after that I don't know how my updating schedule will be since classes will be starting again for me. **As usual, please read and review. **Also, don't expect this fic to get too angsty since it was intended to be more humorous than dramatic from the outset. Cheers! 


	6. Skirting the Issue

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

Hermione spent most of her day wandering around Hogwarts: exploring, reminiscing, thinking, and the usual self-pity she had become accustomed to. The least of the recent surprises in her life had been McGonagall finally becoming headmistress and Snape coming back to teach potions. His becoming deputy headmaster, on the other hand, was still a bit of a shock. It seemed oddly fitting though, given his achievements during the war. Hermione thought about that for a moment. Her seventh year had been a dark time, for all of them really. In fact, it was so difficult for her that she swore off the entire magical community when she finished her schooling at Hogwarts. 

Not wanting to be noticed by students, Hermione avoided all the popular hangout spots as much as possible. She eventually ended up in Snape's office to both of their surprise. She was even more surprised when she answered Snape's question with "My feet carried me here." He said nothing in return simply going about his usual scowling, grading, and general disgust in regard to student work.

Hermione cleared her throat and shifted in her seat.

Without looking up Snape said, "Miss Granger, if you have something to say, please say it. Otherwise, make yourself useful and go somewhere else."

She caught his gaze as he glanced up. "I'm leaving shortly," she answered.

He looked down again to his grading. "Where are you going?"

"I thought I'd go to Hogsmeade and then go home."

"It would be unwise for you to go to Hogsmeade alone."

Hermione said nothing as she rose from her chair and walked out of Snape's office. He shook his head and went back to his work for a moment. However, he thought better of the matter and went after her. There was much more at risk by her going alone than she knew, and it was not just her safety he was concerned about or even people finding out she was back.

By the time Snape caught up with Hermione, she was nearly outside Hogwarts' grounds. His longer strides barely did him any good as Hermione's pace was astoundingly quick; at least, to Snape her pace was that fast.

"What do you want?" she asked heatedly, making it very obvious she did not currently appreciate his company.

In an observable tone of voice Snape stated, "I'm coming with you."

She scoffed and nearly broke into a run to deter him. Several moments late it was clear he would not be deterred. Then, she did break into a dead run. She barely heard Snape's growl in the wind as she tried to put some space between them. However, she had not taken into account her current fitness level, nor his. Hermione quickly began to slow down and it was easy for Snape to catch up to her in his jog. She stopped to catch her breath and he stopped with her.

"Cheeky little whats-it," he said under his breath just loud enough for her to hear.

She chose to ignore the comment. "If I throw a stick, will you go away?" Hermione inquired rudely.

This time, Snape chose to ignore her comment. He sat on a conveniently nearby rock and asked, "Miss Granger, do you realize the implications of your return to our world?"

Not wanting to show him any weakness, she continued to stand. "I haven't returned. I'm merely passing through. I'm going home tomorrow. And by home I mean my apartment in _muggle_ London."

"Hermione, it's not that simple."

"What do you mean it's 'not that simple?' If I go home, get a good night's sleep and wake up in _my_ apartment, it's like it never happened."

Her words and her actions did not match. As she spoke, Hermione moved over to the rock and sat next to Snape with a partial look of resignation on her face. Her arms were crossed, hugging herself in a protective way. It made her look frail, vulnerable. A strong urge to simply pull Hermione closer and wrap his arms around her, tell her everything would be okay, came over Snape. He resisted it but pulled Hermione to her feet as he rose to his own.

"Come on. I'll buy you a drink and explain it to you," Snape said.

Hermione nodded weakly, all the wind gone from her sails. She pretty much let Snape pull her along to Hogsmeade for a drink at Madam Rosemerta's. It was the safest location for her to be outside of Hogwarts in the magical world, as long as Snape was with her that was.

Rosemerta greeted them at the bar. Snape ordered their drinks and found them a quiet corner. Rosemerta brought over the order and pulled Snape aside.

"Severus, it's dangerous for her to be out."

"I know, but she was going to come on her own anyway. Would you rather I had left her by herself?"

"I'd rather you'd not brought her!"

He gave her one of his looks and said, "Tell Minerva I've got everything under control."

Rosemerta nodded and asked "And what of the prophecy, Severus? Have you forgotten that?"

"How could I? Rosemerta, I'll only tell her what she needs to know, if and only if she asks. How and when Minerva deems best to reveal that crazy witch's words is up to her. For now, let's just allow the girl to have a drink and calm her nerves. It's been a rough two days for her."

"Fine, but you're taking full responsibility for this," Rosemerta informed him.

Once corner of his mouth moved ever so slightly. "Don't I always?" Rosemerta shook her head and left Snape with Hermione again.

Hermione had disposed of her drink while Snape was indisposed and she was eying his drink. He looked at it, looked at her, and sighed. "Here," he said, pushing it toward her. "You need it more than I do anyway."

As Hermione drank, they chatted about nothing in particular. Snape kept skirting the main issue every time Hermione would ask about it. He did not feel it was his place to really say anything, and he never had any intention of telling her the truth despite what he had told Madam Rosemerta. Hermione, for the time being, seemed content to drown her problems in alcohol. Snape obliged her and supplied her with the drinks finally cutting her off as the last of the patrons left. Remembering he would be back with students in the morning, he got Hermione to finish her last drink and practically dragged her out the door. Rosemerta merely nodded to them as they left. Hermione was leaning heavily on Snape for balance. It briefly crossed his mind that he gave her too much to drink.

Halfway back to Hogwarts, Hermione finally decided to break the silence of their "walk."

She looked up at Snape. "Are my legs supposed to be this drunk? I can think straight . . . surely that's not right?"

He looked down at her. With a raised eyebrow and a hint of a smirk he said sarcastically, "Well, congratulations. Give yourself a shiny."

Hermione giggled. "Good one, Sev-sev-sevviekins."

He nearly dropped her then and there. Part of it was anger, part of it shock, and maybe a hint of it was amusement. In as dignified a manner as he could muster (and being Severus Snape while also not being drunk, he cold muster a lot), he responded, "Miss Granger, I'll have you know a gentleman of my status does not go by such astoundingly ridiculous names as 'Sevviekins.'"

She giggled again. "What about 'Sevie pooh?'" she inquired.

He did drop her this time. Leaving her on the ground, he walked away telling her, "Not even when we're married."

Hermione climbed to her feet as fast as she could and did her best to catch up with her. "What did you say?"

He feigned ignorance. "I've said nary a word, Miss Granger. Perhaps you've had too much to drink? Hmm?"

She nodded in agreement. Despite her state, though, she was positive he had mentioned marriage Now there was a frightening concept if ever there was one: Snape and marriage, specifically her, Snape, and marriage. She quickly forgot it though as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other all the way back to Hogwarts.

Snape escorted her to the guest quarters for the night. He left her to get ready for bed while he retrieved a hangover potion for the morning. When he returned she was sound asleep on top of the covers. He gently shifted her to loosen the covers and place her underneath. He left a note and the potion on the nightstand for Hermione to find in the morning. He knew it would be late in the day when he next saw her, if he saw her at all.

As he turned to leave, Snape noticed the peaceful look on Hermione's face. She was home whether she knew it or not. He smiled a bit sadly as he knew what was to come. "Sleep well, Hermione," he said quietly. "Sleep well." With that he left silently, allowing her some peace for the night.

End Chapter 6

* * *

A/N: As usual, I like feedback, so please review. No flames and don't criticize the grammar even if it is dreadful in some places. 


	7. Getting Some Answers Sort Of

Disclaimer: Harry Potter . . . not mine . . . don't sue . . . my storyline . . . don't sue.

* * *

For the second time in as many days, Hermione Granger awoke with the singularly odd feeling of being home despite not being home. If she were to be honest with herself, she felt more at home in the 36 or so hours at Hogwarts than she did in two years of living in muggle London. However, being honest with herself was something she was not doing in her current state of denial and general hung over-ness.

Hermione sat up faster than she intended and realized just how much she had to drink the night before. With a loud groan, she wrenched herself from the bed and found her way to the bathroom attached to the guest quarters. Nothing sounded better at that very moment than a nice, long, warm shower.

An hour later Hermione, slightly more awake, certainly more refreshed, but still slightly hung over, emerged from the bathroom. She walked over to the nightstand and picked up the note Snape had left her the night before. It was nothing fancy, just a quick explanation of his whereabouts for the day (Hogsmeade supervising the school trip) and the potion he left for her. Hermione set down the note and picked up the potion. Snape could easily poison her, but her instinct was to trust him. She uncorked the small vial and downed it in one go, making a face at the awful taste. She was sure it tasted dreadful on purpose knowing full well a potion cannot determine its own taste, merely its function. She blamed the potion anyway.

"What to do with yourself today, Hermione?" she asked aloud. Sighing, she added, "This is ridiculous. I really must find some answers. Too many questions, too few answers right now. It's no wonder I left without warning. For once it seems I actually have a reason to study, but the further into all this, the less I really think I want to know . . ." She paced the room nervously. "Come on, Hermione. If you're talking to yourself then you really need to occupy some of your time with interesting pursuits, especially if you keep referring to yourself in third person."

A knock on the door broke Hermione's rant to herself. "Go away. I'm dead!" she yelled.

The door opened. "I should hope you're not dead yet, Hermione. It would be a great loss to us all."

"Professor McGonagall, I'm sorry. I thought you were . . ."

"Someone else?" Hermione nodded. McGonagall smiled. "I thought perhaps you would join me for tea. Severus mentioned you came back rather early this morning, and you would likely be hungry when you awoke."

"I would like that. Thank you, Professor."

"You're always welcome, Hermione. And please, call me Minerva. You're no longer a student. There's no need to be so formal."

"Of course. Thank you," Hermione hesitated ever so slightly, "Minerva."

: P

Several hours later a full Hermione sighed contently. "I'd forgotten what it as like to eat a satisfying meal." McGonagall chuckled. "Thank you, Minerva. This was . . . a nice break from the real world."

"I'm happy to oblige, Hermione. But know that snow in a cauliflower never drifts."

Hermione frowned. "You're not Trelawny in disguise, are you?"

McGonagall chuckled again, this time at Hermione's dismay. "No dear. What I mean is that you cannot escape the real world for very long. Eventually, you must return to it."

"I'd rather not if it is going to be as horrible to me as it has been in the past," came the quiet reply.

"Hermione, no matter how difficult things may get, it is better to have friends who care about you than to be alone," McGonagall said in a reassuring tone. "You have many friends not only here in Hogwarts, but elsewhere in side and _outside_ our world. You mustn't forget that."

"I, um, no. You're right. I have forgotten that. Many times I have forgotten that." She looked down and clasped her hands tightly together. "There's part of me that desperately wants to return to London. But I don't think I can do that just yet, or that I'm suppose to. There's something much larger going on, isn't there? Something no one is telling me."

McGonagall suddenly became very busy cleaning the remnants of their tea an lunch. "In time, Hermione. In time you will know everything, but you're not ready for that right now."

"And when will I be ready? What must I do? What must I know?"

"That is not for me to say. All I can tell you now is that your initial meeting with Severus was hardly just chance."

Something from the previous evening clicked in Hermione's mind. "He knows. Severus knows everything, doesn't he?" McGonagall did not reply. In a business type of tone, Hermione said, "Headmistress, would you please inform Professor Snape that I would like to have a word with him when he comes back from Hogsmeade?" She did not wait for an answer as she left for the library. That research she was sure she needed to do could wait no longer.

: P

It was well past suppertime when Snape finally tracked down Hermione in the library. He really did not have the energy to deal with her in research mode, nor did he have the desire to be the victim of her incessant questions.

It was as if Hermione heard his scowl because, without looking up from her research, she said, "Jump! Quick! A bunny!" when he was within three feet of her.

Snape stopped at looked down. He leaned over and picked up a very large dust bunny. Dropping the offending item on Hermione's open book, he sat opposite her and replied with a hint of general disgust, "I didn't think they came in this size."

Hermione brushed the gigantic dust bunny on the floor. "They normally don't. It came," she pulled a rather small volume from the bottom of her book pile, "with this."

Snape looked at the book, flipping through a couple of pages. "I didn't think they came in this size." Looking rather vexed, he inquired, "And what language is this?"

"They normally don't, sir. And it's an old form of Cyrillic. I needed a translation spell to read it."

An eyebrow rose ever so slightly. "And what were you reading about?"

"You've heard of Nostradamus?"

"Yes," Snape replied. "A more successful version of Trelawny if the rumors I've heard are true."

"Well, this book contains the predictions of his teacher. Fascinating stuff, really, if not just a bit creepy," Hermione stated.

"Quite." Snape paused for a moment. "If you don't mind me playing 'Twenty Questions' a bit longer, why, pray tell, are you researching prophecies and Divination? Seems to me that was the one class you failed. That tells me you either wish to prove yourself a master of all magical disciplines, thus being an overachiever (a rather frightening prospect I might add), or you're after answers."

A bit more forcefully than she intended, Hermione responded, "Firstly, I'm going to ignore your first assumption. Secondly, what's it to you if I were looking for something?" I thought you didn't care what I did as long as I'm not causing trouble. Do you realize what I had to do just to get hold of some of these volumes? I was on the verge of hexing Madam Pince back to last month!"

Snape chuckled. "She does deserve that sometimes. I must agree." His light mood quickly became somber. "Hermione, you're not going to find the answers you seek in a book."

"But they will help me better understand it," she replied just as seriously.

"No, they won't. You're wasting your time," he said, shaking his head.

"And why's that?"

"Only Harry can make you understand the prophecy because that's part of it."

"Harry's part of it?" If nothing else, Snape's statement caught her attention. She was staring at him, begging for something, anything, more.

"If you want to be technical, the whole magical world is connected to it, and even the whole muggle world. But you're not ready yet. None of us are ready yet. In fact, none of us will be ready until the moment it happens." He sighed and laid his head in his hands, massaging his temples. "I wish I could tell you more, but there is so much involved, every decision we make, every breath we breathe takes us one step closer. Just know for the moment that you've been given what you need."

Hermione looked at him. "So, all we can do is continue on with our lives for now?" She was quiet, reserved, timid even.

"Yes. That is all we can do for now," Snape said. Standing to leave he added, "Tomorrow I will take you to Harry in the daylight so you will be able to return whenever you wish. After that, I must return you to your apartment in London."

"And after that?" she inquired a bit sadly, a bit hopeful, and more than a little bit anxiously.

"You're free to make your own choices. Good night, Hermione. We will speak more in the morning." He walked away from her.

Hermione watched his back for a moment and then quickly followed after him. "Severus, will you walk me to my quarters for the night?" He nodded. Neither spoke being lost in their thoughts. It was the most natural thing for Hermione to reach out and place her hand in the crook of his arm. When they reached the door he took her hand in both of his and kissed it gently.

"Good night, Hermione."

Instinctively, she stood on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek. "Good night, Severus. And thank you."

He gave a small nod in her direction and swept down the hall in the direction of his own chambers.

End Chapter 7

* * *

A/N: As usual, review. Other than that, I'd like to mention, again, that this is a response to Vamp's "Snape Walks Into a Bar" challenge at the Hideaway. Check out my profile. 


	8. A Visit to the Woods

Disclaimer: Harry Potter not mine.

A/N: sorry for the wait on this chapter, but homework caught up with me and I have not had a whole lot of time to devote to this lately. I'll try harder, but I make no guarantees. Please review!

* * *

Severus was understandably testy during breakfast. McGonagall knew it was because a certain former student would be leaving Hogwarts within the hour. Once Snape safely saw Hermione back to the muggle world, there was a distinct possibility that she would waltz out of his life once and for all. Of course, he could not tell her how he really felt about that. The decision was hers and hers alone despite the feelings he may have.

Hermione, meanwhile, was taking breakfast in her guest quarters to stay out of the eye of students. It was not the thought of seeing students that bothered her so much as the questions they would have. From what she had ascertained, the prophecy was well known to all witches and wizards, young and old. If the students were anything like she had once been, they would not quit until they got answers they liked. She tossed down her toast in frustration. For the first time in a long time, she was truly curious and there was nothing she could do but wait for the answers to come to her. No one knew how long that would take. Hermione sighed and sipped her tea. Time was passing slowly, and all she could think about was her former life.

A sharp precise knock and the opening of the door brought Hermione to the present. She was about to wipe away the tears she just noticed she shed, but Snape did it for her. His caress was gentle. She instinctively leaned into his touch. "Thank you, Professor."

"You're welcome, Hermione." He found her cloak and handed it to her. "May I inquire as to why you were crying?"

"It's, um, it's silly. I was thinking about the past. I was thinking about when things were good, less complicated." She put her cloak on and took the arm offered to her.

As they walked from the guest chambers to the entrance hall and onto the grounds, Snape said, "I'm afraid nothing will be simple anymore, but it will get better." Hermione just nodded. They maintained their silence as they walked to the border of the grounds. Snape apparated to the wooded area near Harry's house.

Several nights previous, Hermione had found the forest creepy and more than a bit unsettling. Now, in the daylight, she found it to be rather pleasant and a good place for a picnic.

'A picnic?' she though to herself. 'Where did that come from?' Letting her mind wander a moment more, she pictured herself and Snape laughing under the trees, drinking butter beer, and feeding each other strawberries. Overall, it was a bit of an odd image, but a pleasing one.

"Hermione?" Snape asked. "Anybody home?" He waved his hand in front of her eyes.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. Daydreaming."

"Must have been a good one. You're practically drooling."

Hermione wiped her mouth with her sleeve and smiled sheepishly. Snape cracked a corner of his lips. They walked up to the door. Snape rapped loudly and announced their arrival as he opened the door. Harry came out of the small kitchen, wiping his hands with a towel.

"Just finished the dishes," he explained. He walked over to Hermione and gave her a hug. "Are you staying to visit or did you just stop to say 'hi?'"

Hermione turned to Snape with a questioning look on her face. He sighed in a dramatic fashion. "We're not exactly on a tight schedule. If you don't mind having visitors, Mr. Potter?"

Harry really and truly grinned. Apparently it was contagious because Hermione reflected Harry's look and Snape even had the ghost of a smile play across his features.

"Can I offer you anything? I know I haven't got much, but . . ."

Snape held up a hand. "We're fine, Potter. Just sit down and visit."

Harry and Hermione found seats in the tiny sitting room. Snape disappeared to the kitchen. In the daylight, Hermione was better able to make out the sparse furniture. She had no intention to comment on it considering she owned even less in her own apartment. She really did need to do something about that.

Hermione and Harry shifted a little unsurely for several moments. This was new territory for them, especially considering the circumstances upon which they parted.

"So, how have you been?" Harry asked.

"Oh, you know, a little crazy. You?"

"The same," Harry said, nodding. They continued to shift awkwardly. Finally, Snape returned and broke the monotony.

"You two are pathetic. It's like witnessing a class of first years attempting to tame a dragon. If you can't figure it out, I'll kick you both out on your asses . . . in the middle of Diagon Alley!" he growled.

Hermione was impressed the way Snape swept out of the room sans his usual black cloak. There was just something majestic in the way that man moved, as if no one could touch him.

"Hermione? You all right?"

"Huh?" She looked over toward Harry.

"You were staring . . ."

She knew what he had not said. She was staring at Snape. "So, where were we?" Hermione inquired. "Right, um, so yeah, the last few years really . . ."

"Sucked?" Harry said.

Hermione looked down and quietly replied, "Yeah."

Once the awkwardness was broken, the two old friends had little trouble explaining their struggles of the last few years. Harry's, of course, centered around the frustration of being disfigured and not having an easy available cure. "I'd be a complete monster if it wasn't for the Order. Snape and Lupin stop by all the time, and McGonagall comes when she can. It'd be nice to actually be able to go out in public sometimes though. I mean, this place is nice and all. It's got a fantastic view of trees and a field. You can't go wrong with the scenery!"

Hermione laughed at Harry's sarcasm. It felt good to be joking a bit with each other. "I'm afraid my problems are more complicated."

Snape chose that moment to return from wherever he had gotten off to. "Hermione, you ran away. There's little I would expect to be simple with you, except your drink choice."

"Yes, thank you for calling that to our attention, _Severus_." She said his name a bit more harshly than intended. He let it go as she moved on with her story. "When word got around you died with Voldemort, I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to get out. Ron was injured, but he had his family. Mine wouldn't understand if I just showed up like I had quit everything. I tried, several times in fact, to speak to them, but I could never bring myself to it. Shame kicked in and I did the only thing I knew how to do."

"Return to school," Snape said.

"I never really got into my studies. I've always felt guilty about just leaving like I did. Eventually, I started drinking to forget about all that."

"Hermione the drunk! Now there's a picture!"

Hermione slapped Harry on the arm for the comment, but smiled nonetheless. Snape gave a light chuckle to the comment. "You missed her drinking binge the other night, Potter. It was impressive," he stated in even tones.

Harry rose what Hermione supposed was an eyebrow. She sighed in defeat. "I suppose you're right. In my defense though, _someone_ kept supplying me with said drinks."

"And I will continue to do so, Granger."

"You sure do know how to woo a woman, don't you?" Snape smirked winningly.

End Chapter 8


	9. Burgers and Vodka

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, etc., nor do I own Burger King . . . or the ingeniousness of Spam while I'm at it.

A/N: If it seems a bit strange, it's because I wrote it while watching Gray's Anatomy, Olympic Ice Dancing, and the NBA All-Star game . . . an interesting mix to have in the background while writing.

* * *

"Granger, why in the name of Merlin's beard are we going to such a disreputable establishment for mad cow meat that is bound to clog my arteries and worse, as well as cause a heart attack while I'm in the prime of my life?"

"Because, Snape, I desire red meat, and Burger King isn't the King because he serves bad burgers. And the thought of you in your prime is mildly unsettling."

Snape could not prevent the oh-so-obvious eye roll and shake of his head. He would go with her for no reason other than to be near her for another half hour, but the sensible part of his brain still protested. It was madness, but there was little he could do to stop himself. Perhaps there was more to having a glimpse into the future than he wanted to admit, and that was how he found himself in his current predicament. He had wisely donned his muggle clothes before leaving Hogwarts. It was a good thing because he was now parked at a corner table of a very full BK waiting for Hermione to return with their order. She was going to surprise him.

Hermione, meanwhile, was making a tough decision: what exactly she wanted on her burger. "Extra mayonnaise, burger sauce, mustard . . . ooh! And a pickled gherkin please! That sounds good too," she told the pimpled teenager who took the order.

"We don't have pickled gherkin, Ma'am," the boy responded in a flat tone.

Hermione frowned.

"You could have extra pickles on your burger though," was the suggestion.

Hermione considered it for a moment. She nodded and the boy punched in the order.

"£30.16 please."

Hermione handed over the cash she conveniently had gotten from an ATM o the way. Several moments later she was weaving around tables and people to the corner where she left Snape.

"I come bearing fat-filled goodies. Dig in!"

He tried to frown, but the smile she gave him was so genuine that he could not quite manage it. Snape unwrapped the burger slowly and watched Hermione wolf down her share of the grease. Two burgers, one medium order of fries, and six chicken nuggets later, she washed the whole thing down with a large Coke. Snape barely managed to eat his one burger and small order of fries. He could not recall the last time he had ingested such a large amount of calories in one sitting. He did know he had no desire to do it again anything soon though.

"So, what'd you think?"

"I think you're crazy, Granger," and, under his breath, "among other things."

Hermione took it as a compliment. "Thanks, Snape. You gotta admit that was tasty though." She gave him a world-class smile.

"I don't have to admit anything to you." He was gathering the garbage to deposit in the bin and leave the grease haven before he felt sick. Nothing sounded better than fresh air and/or alcohol at that moment.

Hermione had a hard time keeping up with the pace Snape took leading them back toward her apartment. However, halfway there, she grabbed his hand and dragged him down a side street and into the first bar she found. Unlike the previous meeting spot, this bar was packed with patrons. Hermione had to shove her way through he crowd to get to the bar.

"Vodka!" she demanded. "Lots of Vodka!"

The bartender laid out four shot glasses and filled them. Hermione paid as Snape finally caught up to her. Hermione handed him one. "To us!" He did not reply opting to down the drink and the second immediately after. Hermione followed suit. She was about to order more shots when Snape pulled her away from the bar and back through the crowd. On the street he dragged her to an alley where he apparated them to their usual haunt.

"Severus, what?"

"Call me a creature of habit if you must, Granger." He left her standing at the entrance as he went to order their drinks: more vodka. He planned on getting them both very drunk that evening. If nothing else, it would lessen the pain, however temporary, of saying goodbye to her.

By the time Hermione wandered in, Snape had made himself at home. Several empty shot glasses lay upside-down in front of him. Hermione presumed that he as waiting for her as he nursed a scotch. She sat without a word. The evening was turning out intriguingly strange and it was not because they were acting normally. On the contrary, they were acting as if they were stalling form some reason. When it doubt, they resorted to what got them together in the first place: alcohol.

Hermione easily caught up with him and then ordered the next round. Neither had spoken a word to the other. Besides ordering drinks, the only indication they were aware of each other was the sidelong glances, always when the other was not looking.

Hermione, tiring of the charade, and quite drunk to boot, in highly dramatic fashion removed herself from the bar and appeared to be heading for the door. What she had not planned on were her legs giving out on her after several steps. Snape, for his part, was not quite so inebriated (which was often the case) and had begun to follow her closely enough that he caught her before she hit the ground. This was the second time he found her in his arms, but the fact she was conscious and both of them were drunk changed things slightly. For a moment, he forgot to breathe. By the time he remembered, she had noticed and was staring at him with a mixture of confusion, amusement, and desire.

Snape was alert enough to carry them out of the bar and apparate them to her apartment. He set her down on the doorstep where she sat and dug out her keys. Hermione handed them to Snape and he unlocked the door. Hermione slowly rose to her feet, attempted to balance and almost stumbled. Snape caught her in time again and carried her in.

The close proximity was doing neither or them much good. Snape was sure she could feel the rapid beating of his heart. It was a new thing to him yet. Having someone that was not the enemy so close was unfamiliar territory. He knew what he wanted, but it was not his move to make. That much was always clear. He could only do so much because, ultimately, the decision had to be hers. He was almost powerless until that happened.

Severus Snape knew love, and how to love, something few people credited him with. His job had always meant he had to compartmentalize. Now, though, with Hermione, he wanted nothing more than to tell her everything, to take her and make her his. If it were not for the prophecy . . . The bloody prophecy. It dictated that she make the move or everything would fall apart, the wizarding world and much more.

Hermione's mind was too sluggish to comprehend all of what she saw in Snape's eyes as he carried her to the bedroom. There was something in his look though that seemed sad, resigned. She did not like it. It was not the Severus Snape she was used to in these past weeks. It made her sad to think of him being sad.

Snape laid her on the bed and removed her shoes for her. He pulled out a hangover potion and put it on the nearby dresser so she could easily find it in the morning.

"Severus," Hermione said weakly, "thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied quietly. He knew he was showing his emotions, but he was too drunk to care. "Good night, Hermione." He was closing the door when she called out.

"Severus, will I see you tomorrow?"

He nodded from the doorway. "If that's what you want." He felt the tears pricking his eyes, wanting to be shed.

"Severus?"

"Yes, Hermione?" He swallowed hard, swallowing the emotions as best he could.

"Kiss me."

"Hermione, I . . ."

"Severus, please? If I never see you again, I want to know what it's like to kiss you."

It was a loaded statement for both of them. He heard the sharp intake of breath. She was gently crying. It froze him temporarily in the doorway.

"It that's what you want," he said, moving to sit next to her. The only light came from the hallway so they were both largely in the shadows. Snape leaned in slowly, one hand resting gently on Hermione's forehead, reminding him it was real. Their lips met in a gentle kiss at first. Snape desired to deepen it, but pulled back. Hermione pulled him back down for another kiss which she eventually cut off.

"Thank you, Severus."

End Chapter 9


	10. Waiting

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters, etc.

* * *

"Minerva, the sun is beeping. Why is the sun beeping?"

"Because, Severus, it was Dumbledore's idea of an alarm clock and I have yet to figure out how to turn it off."

Snape walked over to the wall, amazed that, in three years, McGonagall had not figured out how to turn of an alarm clock. He hit it the painted sun with the flat of his palm, hard. "Ow, bugger that hurt!"

"On the bright side, you made the sun stop beeping, Severus," McGonagall replied with a smug smile and turned back to the letter she was writing.

"Next time at least thank me for my efforts," he said sarcastically. "I'll be pestering Poppy if you need me."

"Just don't forget your first year class, Severus!" she called after him.

"Yes, thank you, Minerva. It's not like I don't try to teach those dunderheads every day."

: P

"For the final time, Mr. Spence, you do not add powdered asphodel to this potion. If you attempt to do so one more time, you will be in detention for no less than a month . . . with _Filch_!" Snape bellowed at the small, pale undersized Gryffindor. Young Mr. Spence paled even more, if that was even physically possible, and promptly sat in his seat trying not to cry. The Ravenclaw girl at his table tried to console him only to gain Snape's ire as well.

"Miss Blanchard!"

"Ye-yes, Sir," she replied and went back to her own work.

Snape sat back in his seat as if observing, but he was really quite deep in though. He meant it when he said he enjoyed teaching potions, but eh naivety and inexperience of the students coming through the school was astounding to him. So far, none of the first years showed any kind of competence when it came to potions. Of course, he was comparing them to one former bushy-haired student who excelled from the word "go." No, indeed none of them could compare to Hermione Granger's capabilities at this juncture.

"Professor Snape?"

It was Blanchard. "Yes, what is it?" he barked.

"The, um, the class period has finished, Sir."

He wondered briefly about the fact he missed that. "Potion samples labeled and on my desk immediately! Clean your tables and then you are dismissed." It came out harsh, just like everything else he was saying lately. He scowled at the first years while they scurried to turn in potions and clean their tables. Once they all left, Snape retired to his office for several moments. He needed a stiff drink even though he usually frowned upon the idea of alcohol during the day. However, he felt he not only needed it but deserved it at the moment.

The rest of the day passed in an uneventful blur. Snape managed some grading during his lunch break and before supper. He wandered to the great hall to eat as he always did, went through the routine of scowling and staring down anyone who dared to take him on, said the required words to his fellow staff members and pondered in silence over his meal.

"Severus, you really shouldn't wait around for something to happen. It could be years before . . ."

"Minerva, thank you for reminding me. And what makes you say I'm just sitting around?"

McGonagall gave him one of those looks that was reminiscent of Dumbledore. It seemed to say 'if you have to ask, then you know it's true so don't waste my time arguing.' Snape rolled his eyes and looked away.

By the time supper was finished, Snape had half the staff telling him to 'cheer up' and not worry. 'Miss Granger would return soon enough.' He finally had enough and left the table, feeling angry. He had thus far put off grading the first year projects because doing so usually put him in a bad mood. Since he was currently in a bad mood, he figured it was a good time to finally grade the projects. Unfortunately, the unintended affect of his mood growing fouler with each individual assignment occurred and he finally had to give up before there was more red on the paper than black.

Snape returned to his quarters and poured himself a healthy portion of Ogden's. He settled himself in front of the fire and began reading a book. Several minutes later, Snape slammed the book down next to him, drained the Ogden's and poured himself some more. There was only one thing on his mind, one person to be exact.

He was unsure of the exact moment she took over his thoughts, but with her gone for the moment, every second his mind was free to wander, she filled it. Hermione Granger would one day be his. He just hoped it was before he decided to grow a Dumbledorish beard and was suffering from memory loss. It already bothered him that he had such feelings for a former student, a Gryffindor nonetheless, but one of the things he learned in life was that love was a fickle thing. Everyone needed and wanted it even though it hurt like hell and had a way of running your life in an unintended way. This was exactly how Snape felt at that moment. He ended up drinking the rest of the decanter of Ogden's Fire whisky. He eventually went to bed quite drunk as a result.

The week eventually passed with no sign of Hermione. Slowly, ever so slowly, Snape took less and less of his frustration out on his students. McGonagall observed all of this from a safe distance knowing not to push him too much. Occasionally she would direct a question his way to determine his state of mind, but he gave little away. This of course was a common occurrence with Snape.

Eventually a month passed and Snape seemed his former self. He was chipper enough in his depressive and demanding way. McGonagall finally felt comfortable asking the question that was on her mind for just as long as Hermione had been gone.

"Severus, what happened between you and Miss Granger the last evening you were together?"

They were seated in her office and had previously been discussing school matters and Harry Potter. Snape was not surprised by the question. He had been waiting for it for some time; however, he had yet to put it into words.

"Minerva, I'd rather not discuss it," he said. He was only half convinced of that though.

She seemed to read his mind. "Severus, the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be."

He took a deep breath and sighed. "If you must know, we were both rather drunk in the end."

McGonagall immediately assumed the worst. "You didn't . . ."

"No, not sex, Minerva," he cut in quickly. "I'm not stupid!"

Her relief was obvious.

He continued. "I helped Hermione home. Before I left, she request that I kiss her. I knew it wasn't exactly a wise thing to do, but in my drunken state I was unable to stop myself. I promise you, I _did not_ go further."

McGonagall looked sadly at Snape. Reliving the experience was difficult for him and she could tell he relived that moment countless times in his head. Getting it out had to be a relief of sorts, but it also meant confessing to a moment no one else was privy to. "Severus, if you need anything . . ."

"Please, don't." He sighed again. "Sometimes it's all that keeps me going." He sounded absolutely torn.

: P

Hermione stood outside the door, shell shocked and guilty. She had no idea how much that moment had truly meant to him. And somewhere in her mind, several statements he made to her while drunk clicked into place.

End Chapter 10


	11. Returns

Disclaimer: Harry Potter not mine, never was, never will be . . .

A/N: As usual, please review and thanks for reading . . . we're getting closer and closer to the end, so I appreciate all of you who've stuck with it from the beginning.

* * *

It was as if a combination lock was spinning in Hermione's head. Each successive click brought her that much closer to fully understanding what everything was about. And that brought her squarely back to Harry Potter and Severus Snape. The connection between the two may be obscure to the normal onlooker, but now, if she saw one, the other automatically came to mind. In some small way their fates were connected. Hermione felt as if she was only a few small turns of the lock away from getting the treasure: understanding the prophecy.

Tentatively she opened the door. McGonagall did not seem to possess any of Dumbledore's omniscience so she was just as surprised as Snape to see Hermione walk into the office, suitcase in hand.

Snape only caught the tiniest squeaking as the door opened and immediately feared the worst. The soft footsteps, though, were unmistakable. But yet he could do nothing until she asked something of him.

"Good evening, Professors," she greeted them quietly. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

"Not at all, Miss Granger. Please, take a seat, won't you?" McGonagall asked. Snape had yet to do anything but stare. "Can I offer you a spot of tea?"

"Yes, please. Thank you." Hermione sat next to Snape and smiled shyly at him. He eventually blinked, but did not move his gaze. Hermione sipped her tea, fully aware both professors were watching her carefully. She placed the cup on the saucer and said, "I'm sorry it took this long, Severus. Getting my affairs in order took longer than I intended. I hope you can forgive me."

Finally, Snape snapped out of his uncharacteristic staring. "Hermione, there is nothing to forgive."

McGonagall slipped out of the room unnoticed. Truth be told, she felt a bit like a child hiding in a closet witnessing something intimate between her parents. It was more than a bit uncomfortable to witness despite the fact it was entirely innocent. She was not the least bit surprised when neither Snape nor Hermione noticed her sudden absence.

"Severus, I really did try to get back sooner."

"Hermione, don't worry about it. Some things aren't meant to be rushed."

She smiled at him. "Thank you."

He blinked. "For what?"

"Waiting."

He sighed. "I had little choice, but at this juncture in my life, I'm used to waiting for things."

"Well, I'm sorry nonetheless."

They were silent for several moments. "Have you eaten?" he asked. It was not an entirely random question. Snape suddenly desired something to eat himself after spending a month not being very hungry. On cue, his stomach rumbled.

Hermione nodded. "I haven't really eaten since breakfast. I've been so nervous."

He stood and picked up her suitcase then offered his arm. "Shall we?"

"We shall," she responded.

Snape led her to the guest chambers where they deposited her suitcase. They then proceeded down to the kitchen. Supper had long since finished and it was growing ever closer to curfew. Snape glared at various clumps of students they passed on the way. Hermione simply pretended they were not there.

A couple house elves were still loitering in the kitchen when Snape arrived with Hermione on his arm. Dobby just happened to be one of those house elves. He immediately began doting on the pair simply because of Hermione. Snape scowled and told Dobby to go away, but the house elf was undeterred. Only once Hermione and Snape were well fed did he leave them alone.

Little ended up being said between the pair. Neither seemed to know exactly where to start and Snape had to teach in the morning. He escorted her back to her chambers where she invited him in. Snape respectfully declined.

"Good night, Severus," Hermione said sweetly, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Snape smiled and took her hand, kissing it gently.

"Good night, Hermione."

He then left her and they both briefly thought of a night over a month past.

That night, they dreamed of each other, once they finally fell asleep that is.

: P

Snape had his students completely baffled. Word got around quickly that he was acting very unlike himself. He was actually encouraging students instead of yelling at them. Although, he never did go so far as to give house points, he did not actually take any away fro stupid mistakes, nor did he assign any detentions. No, Snape just had everyone completely confused at his behavior and that included him.

Hermione went so far as to scold him for said behavior at lunchtime. She met him in his office, a total surprise on her part, and discussed trivial matters with him. They both knew the talk would come later that evening. However, for the time being, it was enough just to be in each others' company.

Many people noticed Snape's absence at both lunch and suppertime, but no one really dared ask about his whereabouts. They all kind of knew anyway, or at least could guess because word spread quickly that Hermione was in the castle. McGonagall hoped that nobody would pester the couple because they needed to come forth in their own time. Besides, it was up to Hermione to go public about her whereabouts.

: P

"So, you see, Severus, it really was just a stupid idea on my part to begin with. I mean, Harry and I both tried to reason with Ronald but he just wouldn't see eye to eye with us." Hermione was in the middle of explaining a recent encounter with her friends.

"You mean to tell me that all it took to get the Troublesome Trio together again was a sad attempt at a dance party in the forest near Potter's house?"

"Yes, exactly!"

Snape groaned. "You know, you have a lot of issues to work out. I'm not entirely sure I want to involve myself with you anymore."

Even though he said it completely seriously, Hermione knew the he was joking on some level.

"All right, tell me why exactly it has taken you a month to get it all sorted."

"Are you sure you really want to know? I'll have to start from the beginning."

"I'd much rather you start from the beginning than the end, Hermione. And yes, I do wish to know because, obviously, we have to talk about it." A ghost of a smile was there somewhere.

Hermione took a deep breath. 'Okay, here goes. When I woke up the morning after you'd left, I suddenly felt as if everything was wrong. My whole life should have been different. I was cut-off and alone and I didn't like it. I called Mum and insisted on visiting. Eventually she agreed and we managed a civilized family dinner that night. They had a lot of questions I couldn't answer. I only knew that you and Harry were important for my future. The next day I went to see Harry on my own. We talked about you and Ron and general life stuff. He also made me realize that muggle college life wasn't for me. So, I started to make arrangements. The lease on my apartment had a month to go and I wasn't ready to return here yet, no matter how much I wanted to.

"Next, I got a hold of Ron. We talked about a lot of stuff, why I'd run away and all. He was reluctant to go see Harry with me, but II talked him into it. Somehow, my believing in Harry and being there brought Ron around. You know the rest of that story. So, Ron and Harry's relationship patched, I had to fix my relationship with my parents. I spent more and more time there and they eventually accepted my apology. Things are still a bit intense with them but we've found some common ground. I haven't told them about you, yet and I know they're going to hate that . . . sorry.

"So, school obviously didn't go so well. I dropped out and have been accepted to the Glasgow University of Wizardry and Witchcraft in Potions for next term. Apparently they were impressed by my entrance exams and the fact a war hero and prestigious member of the Potions community taught me all I know."

Hermione smiled sheepishly at him. Snape chuckled at the comment.

"I'm glad you think so highly of me."

"Well, I didn't mention the whole part about us, well, you know how it is . . ." She was reluctant to say what they were because she still wasn't sure at this point. Snape saw the hesitation in her eyes as she continued. "Anyway, once my future school was taken care of, all I had left to do was come back here. Somewhere in all the relationship building I realized that my feelings for you run quite deep. Not that I was eavesdropping or anything, but when you and Professor McGonagall were speaking last night, everything started to click into place. I'm not completely there yet, Severus, but I'm close. I just need you to be along for the rest of the journey."

End chapter 11


	12. A New Line of Thought

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine, never was, never will be.

A/N: We're getting to the end; it looks like it'll be about 15 chapters long, so there's only a few more to go. Look for 13 soon unless schoolwork gets in the way.

* * *

He made a full commitment to her long ago. Being a man of his word, the promise he made was no small thing. The fact he loved her changed only one thing: that he would actually enjoy keeping his promise for once. However, frustration set in slowly and sometimes he would find himself suppressing certain urges more than he really wanted to. It was the waiting; for once it actually made him antsy. She was different. The whole set of circumstances was different. He promised to wait however long it took. Their fates depended on it.

So when that urge quickly started to consume him after her voiced comment of affection, he suppressed it as soon as he recognized what it was. Officially, she was his. She had just said the one thing he had been waiting for her to say. Unofficially, he had no right to take her.

Hermione watched briefly as the face of the man she as falling in love with shifted between a variety of emotions. Eventually she turned away and fiddled with whatever was close at hand. She wondered what was going through Snape's head. He looked confused, which was odd given that she as sure they were destined to be together.

Her head snapped up at she stared at him wide eyed. He was confused because his mind and body were at war. She just knew it, but she did not know why.

'She's yours, but she's not _yours_.'

'Come on, you know you want her. _Take her!_'

'No!'

His head suddenly snapped to meet her gaze. The last thought was certainly not his own. The first two were certainly not her own.

"Severus?"

"Hermione?"

They stared at each other for another moment then quickly turned away.

Under his breath Snape muttered, "This wasn't in the prophecy."

Hermione was unsure how to react to the idea that she had tapped into Snape's thoughts just by staring at him. It was certainly only one revelation of many on her mind at the moment.

Several long minutes of silence later Snape said, "I'm sorry. You weren't supposed to hear that."

"That's an understatement," Hermione replied quietly.

"Given my occlumency training, I'm quite shocked I didn't notice it. I'm beginning to think the connection is something else entirely."

"How could that be?"

He finally looked at her and waited to speak until she looked at him. "I honestly don't know."

They lapsed into another uncomfortable silence before Hermione said she was tired and desired to go to bed. Snape offered to escort her to her quarters, but she refused. He bid her good night as she left.

It was not that Hermione did not trust Snape. She knew he could have acted on his impulses many times, especially when he was drunk. He never did though. What unnerved her was that he was as in the dark about their new discovery as she was. She had an urge to go research it, but stopped herself knowing that she was better off even attempting sleep than not.

Snape, in the meantime, let his thoughts wander. Hermione seemed distant again, something he was not too keen about. He sighed deeply and ran his hands through his hair. Perhaps if he could understand even a little what she saw in him, he could begin to understand, but that, too, was a mystery. At one point he thought he understood life, but ever since Trelawny made another accurate prophecy life had turned upside down more than once. Eventually Snape grew tired of his own thoughts and attempted to get some sleep.

Morning came much too early. For the second day in a row, Snape confused students and staff alike. He managed to pass through it in a haze, not really caring about what was going on around him. Several times he failed to prevent student mistakes he would otherwise have caught. Other times he failed to assign homework. All day he was trying to work out an answer to a question there quite possibly was not an answer for.

Hermione's line of thought was much the same as Snape's. She just took it a different route, deciding to confide in Headmistress McGonagall. Three heads were better than two, she figured, and McGonagall must be curious about the latest happenings. Unfortunately, the headmistress was just as stumped, but at least discussing the problem helped generate some ideas.

Snape actually showed for super in the Great Hall that night, to everyone's surprise. McGonagall mentioned briefly to him that Hermione told her about their latest issue. He was not surprised. He just did not want everyone knowing their private business.

Hermione took her meal in her quarters and browsed several books. She was so engrossed in them that she did not hear Snape's knock at first. Several minutes later she was aware of someone outside her door. She easily crossed the room to let him in.

"Good evening, Hermione. May I come in?"

"Yes, of course, Severus. Please make yourself comfortable."

He did just that. "Have you found anything useful?"

She looked at the stack of books and shook her head. "No, but I wish I had. It seems so strange to me that we would suddenly have this connection."

"As it does to me. I would like you to try again though."

Hermione nodded and looked at him for several moments. Like a flash of lightening, she found herself listening to his thoughts again.

' . . .certainly hasn't turned out how I . . .'

'Sorry.'

'No, don't be.' He smiled at her then. 'That answers that question.'

'But not the other,' she replied, still in his mind (or was it hers or both now?). 'Sure does feel strange though. Kinda like a lightening storm in my head, just without the thunder.'

'Yes, as if we're . . .' his thought trailed off.

'As if we're what, Severus?' She was not quite following.

"Working on the same wavelength," he said aloud.

"Wait, what?" Hermione asked.

"It's like sound waves in a way. If you combine them just right, so they're perfectly in sync, the sound is amplified."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Yes, Hermione. Our conscious thoughts match up in some way occasionally that we are able to hear each other. It's not like Legilimency in that we're not trying to dig up a specific thought. It just . . ."

"Happens," Hermione finished for him. "But what does it mean?"

He looked at her for a moment and for the second time in as many days responded, "I don't know."

Several moments of thought later, she replied, "I do."

End Chapter 12


	13. Out of Character

Disclaimer: not mine, etc. so on and so forth . . don't take me to court, please.

* * *

"Don't you see, Severus? We're connected. We're meant to be together. For once our complex lines of thought aren't important. It's the simplicity of it. You and me, that's it. Forget all the magic, our pasts, science, the world, everything. It's just _us_."

He stared at her like she had just spoken gibberish or Armenian or something. "Huh?"

Hermione sighed. "We think too much, Severus. That's how we scholars are. We analyze everything to death. But this only works if we don't do that. Everything only works if you break it down into simple terms."

"Hermione, slow down." She was really on a roll, speaking as fast as a freight train at full speed. Snape was having trouble keeping up.

"The world is so complex, Severus. Look at muggle technology. We can't even begin to comprehend a lot of it, much less the basic processes because they're buried under everything else."

She was definitely about to continue, but he put up a hand to stop her. "You're making my brain hurt, and I need to clarify, as well as simplify. What you're saying is that we need to look at the smallest, simplest components of everything in order to understand the rest of what's around us."

"Yes, exactly!"

He was still confused even by what he said, but it as starting to make a modicum of sense by this point. "And why are we doing that? Just to clarify, mind you."

"Um," she hesitated, "I'm still working on that."

Snape sighed. "Prophecy stuff."

"Yeah, I think it might be related," she replied.

Then they did something familiar and followed it with something abnormal: they sat in silence for several moments and then broke out into a fit of giggles, Snape included.

"It really does sound a bit ridiculous doesn't it?" Hermione asked.

"I say we drink and then it won't sound so ridiculous," Snape responded.

"Seriously?"

'Why not? There is little in this world that can't be solved over an excessive number of pints," he responded firmly.

"All right, I'm sold. Where to?" Hermione inquired.

"Rosemerta's of course," he said, standing up and offering his arm.

Their walk to Hogsmeade that evening was marked by several more giggle fits, Snape included, and Hermione realizing Severus Snape had a wicked sense of humor in more ways than one. By the time they arrived at Rosemerta's, the night was waxing on, but they still had time to get in several drinks each. Rosemerta was surprised by their sudden mid-week appearance, but figured it was in good faith considering Hermione had been absent for some time.

"What's your poison tonight, Severus?" she asked.

"A pint of your strongest ale to start, Rosemerta."

"And you might as well give us a bottle of Firewhiskey," Hermione added.

Rosemerta sized them up for a moment, but gave in to their request, handing over two shot glasses with the full bottle. They did not appear to be looking for trouble, perhaps celebrating? She filled Snape's pint while Hermione wandered off to find a table.

"Better make that two pints," he said taking the first.

"Of course, Severus. I'll put all this on your tab."

Hermione had scared off a customer from a back table by the time Snape had his second pint in hand. He sighed. "I don't deserve her, Rosemerta, but I'm certainly not going to complain."

"Nonsense, Severus! For all you've done, you've earned ten Hermiones!" Shegave him a look that said 'don't argue with me' before continuing. "And you're in an uncharacteristic mood tonight, I might add."

Snape genuinely smiled. "I know, and there isn't a damn thing I did to get it."

Hermione was on her second shot when Snape sat down. He quickly disposed of the first pint and started in on the second. He wondered briefly if love was making him act so oddly all of a sudden, but then, he realized he did not particularly care at the moment. All he really cared about was protecting Hermione and making her happy. It was odd not to be thinking of his own safety all the time anymore.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Hermione asked. "You look a little distant."

Snape turned to her, put his half-empty pint on the table and replied, "Hermione, I love you."

She smiled. "You do, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. And," he sighed, looked her in the eye and said, "I want to marry you Hermione." He could have stopped there and left her in the state of shock she was already in, but he continued. "You see, there's a part of the prophecy that states we would be married, but I don't want to marry you because of that or because I love you. I've fallen _in love_ with you Hermione, and I want to marry you because I want to spend whatever years I have left being married to you."

She was speechless for many moments in which Snape finished his second pint, took three shots of Firewhiskey, and started a fourth.

"Yes," she finally managed to croak out.

Snape turned toward her again, raised an eyebrow and asked, "What?"

Hermione's reply of "yes" was full of emotion. They both thought she was about to start crying, but she did not. "Severus, I . . I want to be married to you as well. I can't imagine my future without you in it. And I don't want it to be because of some prophecy either."

"Good, well, that's settled then. I'm afraid I don't have a ring at the moment though. I didn't expect to be proposing tonight."

"Neither did I," she replied.

He smiled at the comment. "Come, we'll take the bottle with us. We really should be getting back anyway."

"What? Already? It's only . . ." he cut her off with a kiss, a lingering one at that.

"Nearing three in the morning, and Minerva doesn't appreciate my staying out late during the school year."

"Since when have you worried about what McGonagall does or doesn't approve of?" Hermione inquired, acquiescing to his request to leave in the process.

"Since she became headmistress and I deputy headmaster. You do realize I'm more of a role model now then I ever was?"

She was a bit foggy because of the alcohol. "Because you're deputy headmaster?"

"And because of the war. Us war heroes are role models whether we intend to be or not. Plus, there's all that pressure being Head of Slytherin. It simply doesn't look good for the school." He steered a slightly befuddled Hermione out the door and shouted to Rosemerta, "Drinks for the house on me!" She responded with a knowing smile and added it to his tab.

End Chapter 13


	14. The Prophecy

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any affiliates.

A/N: One chapter to go after this . . . read and review please.

* * *

Hermione slept in the next morning and almost instantly regretted waking up. Her head pounded as if several rock drummers were in the room with her. She rose slowly and found Snape had once again foreseen the unpleasant hangover she would have in the morning. He left no note, just a potion vial. Hermione smiled at his thoughtfulness.

Since he had lessons all day, Hermione took the opportunity to visit Harry. If she were lucky, Ron would have the afternoon off from work; however, the chances of that were slim to none. It was worth a shot anyway.

It was not until she was standing outside Harry's small house in the forest that Hermione realized just how hungry she really was. Hermione knocked. Several minutes later Harry still had not answered the door. She wandered around the house wondering where he could be. She heard several voices yelling in the distance. After following the sound for several minutes, Hermione found Harry, Ron, and Ginny playing Quidditch in a small field surrounded by trees.

Hermione smiled and watched the three friends play. Finally, Ginny noticed the observer and landed next to her. "Hiya, Hermione. Harry said you come visit him sometimes."

The girls hugged each other and walked over to the boys. "Hey guys. It's nice to see you outside, Harry." She did not mention that his disfigurations were more prominent in real light, but it did not matter to her anyway. He was still her friend and she cared about him.

"Yeah, well, Ron and Ginny can be persuasive sometimes. It's nice to know I still have some skills."

Ron and Hermione nodded to each other in greeting. "Harry, you'll always be good at Quidditch. You're a natural."

"Hermione's right. You could leave me in the dust even when you're near death," Ron commented.

"Gee, thanks guys. It's great to know that," Harry said sarcastically. Changing his tone, he asked, "So, Hermione, what brings you here today?"

They started back to the house. "Well, I have some news for all of you. But not before I eat something because I am starved."

Ginny giggled. "How unlike you."

"Yeah, well, I forgot to eat before coming here. Kind of slipped my mind with everything that's happened in the last couple of days."

They tried to pry an answer out of her all the way back to the house and throughout lunch, but Hermione refused to budge. She insisted on being satisfied before she spoke. Nearly an hour later, she was finally done with lunch. To her credit, she had a fully captivated audience at that point.

"Well, I suppose you already know about the prophecy. Severus has refused to actually tell me what it specifically states, but I can tell you that it's not in full motions. We're engaged."

Ginny temporarily became a total girly-girl and squealed in delight. Ron rolled his eyes at the outburst and congratulated Hermione despite the fact he still did not want to accept that she was actually going to marry Snape. Harry gave Hermione a hug and mirrored her happiness.

"That's really great, Hermione. I'm really happy for you twp."

"Thanks, Harry. Ron, I know you don't' really like the idea, but I really feel like it's meant to be that way. You'll always be my friend."

Ron mumbled something unintelligible but smiled at Hermione smile.

"As long as you're happy, Hermione. Just remember, I want to know the minute he mistreats you so I can kick his ass."

"Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed while Ginny slapped his arm.

"I was only saying . . . geez, is it so wrong to care about Hermione's safety?"

"Ron, I feel the same," Harry said. "However, you don't know Snape like I do. He's not who he was."

"Right, well, I'm still just saying . . ."

Hermione said, "It's okay. I'd rather you show concern than pretend like you don't care. It makes me feel safer anyway. And Harry's right. He's not the same. Bu then, none of us is the same since the end of the war."

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a bit.

"Hermione," Ginny said, "Didn't you mention something else?"

"Oh, yeah, well, um, to be honest I feel a little weird telling you this but the other day I heard Severus' thoughts. It wasn't like either of us was trying to do it; it just happened."

"I know that feeling," Harry replied. The other three looked at him. "Sorry. Not to interrupt or anything. Continue, Hermione."

"Oh, no, Harry. It's quite all right. We don't really know how it happened, but we don't really care. It was more of a surprise than anything anyway. Severus said it wasn't part of the prophecy or anything."

"Certainly wasn't," Harry spoke again. He sighed. "Hermione, I should tell you something. Well, all of you should know I guess. I was there when Trelawny made the prophecy. It was kind of accidental really. Snape and McGonagall were working on a solution to my problem when she just showed up in the Headmistress' office. They hid me so she wouldn't know I was there, but I think she did anyway. When her powers are working, it's like she knows everything."

Ron asked, "You mean you heard it all? We've only gotten bits and pieces of it."

"I've gotten basically nothing," Hermione added quietly.

"Here's the other thing," Harry said, "McGonagall and Snape couldn't tell you everything. They only ever heard the first half."

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Trelawny knocked them out." The other three gasped. "The last part was only for me to hear, which is why I think she knew I was there." He took a moment. "I think it's time I tell you it from the beginning, Hermione."

The room was silent. The idea of finally hearing the whole prophecy weighed heavy on their minds. Hermione needed to take several deep breaths to calm herself. She nodded when she was ready to hear it.

Harry took several moments himself to remember it properly. He could see it etched on the inside of his eyelids when he closed his eyes. Finally, he spoke quietly but strongly.

_On the night of the Dark Lord's fall_

_A boy was changed and a girl fled._

_Only in her return can the Raven spy wed_

_And find peace of mind._

_Only in her return can the world of magic_

_Continue to grow and flourish._

_Through tears of joy and sadness_

_She will rise._

_Through the haze of death_

_The boy will be reborn._

_She will provide the long sought cure_

_And together they will begin a golden age._

_Only he can tell this tale_

_And only she will interpret the truth._

He stopped to complete silence. Hermione sniffled and pulled Harry into a hug. She was crying. Harry did his best to comfort her. When they pulled apart, she still had a few stray tears rolling down her cheek. Harry wiped them away. When Hermione finally looked at Harry, she nearly did a double take at what she saw.

"Harry . . ." Ron said.

"What?" Ginny was now staring at him too.

Hermione grabbed him and hugged him again, new tears pricking her eyes. "Oh, Harry, you must see for yourself." She pulled away. "Go look in a mirror."

Harry rose and walked to the bathroom. He stared into the mirror for a while before saying, "What? How?" He brought a hand to his face slowly. "But this . . ."

Hermione was standing behind him. "Harry, the long sought cure . . . the love of your friends and tears of joy and sadness, my tears. It's all there."

He was still in shock. "I'm, I look . . ."

"Very similar to your father when he was your age," Hermione finished.

End Chapter 14


	15. Approximately One Year Later

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine, nor will any of it ever be.

A/N: A huge thanks to Vamps at The Hideaway for issuing the challenge and getting my creative side going.

Thanks to all of the wonderful readers and reviewers. I really appreciate your feedback.

Wile

* * *

"Severus, where are my shoes? I know I set them near the door so I could find them easily," Hermione called out.

"I haven't touched them," came the terse reply.

Hermione grumbled a bit and finally found her shoes in the bedroom closet. She promptly placed them on her feet and waltzed into the sitting room. Severus was fumbling with his tie.

"Remind me again why I must wear this infernal suit."

Hermione helped him adjust the tie. "Because, Severus, we can't have you traipsing around the muggle world in your dress robes. Besides, the only thing you don't like is the tie because it's red and you're not used to wearing it." She finished with the tie. "Now, come along or we'll be even later than we already are. You know how much my mother hates us being late."

"Since we're late already, how about we just not go?"

Hermione did not even respond. She just pulled him out the door and to the apparation point. He continued to grumble as she apparated them to her parents' back yard. He followed as she walked trough the back door into the kitchen.

"Mum, Dad, we're here!" Hermione called out.

Her mother popped her head into the kitchen and beckoned them to the sitting room. "I must warn you, though, Hermione. Your Aunt Rose has been very curious about Severus. Make sure you have your story straight."

"Thanks, Mum, but I doubt that will be too much of a problem." Hermione grabbed Severus' hand firmly as they entered the sitting room.

The sitting room was rather full of various relatives celebrating the Granger's 25th anniversary. Hermione dreaded having to deal with them all, but out of respect for her parents, she and Severus came to the celebration. Immediately they were surrounded by inquisitive relatives who wanted to know everything about Hermione's period of estrangement from her parents, her relationship with Severus, and, of course, their wedding.

They had decided on a small wedding shortly after the end of the school year. It had been quaint, the only guests being their closest friends and family. It certainly was not gaudy. Harry had served as Best Man and Ginny as the Maid of Honor. The wedding also served as Harry's coming out party. News coverage was limited to the most reliable source they could think of: Colin Creevey. Shortly after Snape/Granger wedding, the Potter/Weasley wedding was announced. The whole magical world had reason to celebrate. Their war heroes were all alive and counted for, finally. There was peace and harmony among many. Arthur Weasley had been named Minister of Magic. With Harry's help, they were rooting out the rest of the Death Eaters and corrupt members of the Ministry. A lot had happened in the year since Hermione completed the prophecy. Even she had no idea just how much things were changing in the world, magical and non-magical alike.

But none of that was quite as overwhelming as being surrounded by so many of her family members and having to answer the. For every one who was satisfied with a response, another had even more questions. The afternoon felt as if it would never end. Unfortunately, Severus was fairing no better. To add insult to injury, he looked increasingly uncomfortable in his attire. Somehow, Hermione managed to alert her mother who then managed to come to Severus' rescue. He disappeared into the back yard with her father. That made Hermione a bit more comfortable. The two, for whatever reason, got on as if they had been best friends for life.

"Come now, Hermione. Tell me how you met Severus? He seems like such a nice young man." It was her grandmother. Hermione had already told this particular story several times. The lady seemed to forget it five minutes later every time.

"Excuse me, Grandma. I'll tell you in a moment, but I really do need to use the loo." She realized it had been a bit rude, but she needed a break. It was a different person with the same question every time.

Hermione headed straight to the backyard and joined her husband and father. She took Severus' glass and drank half the contents.

"I see they finally got to you," Severus smirked.

"Please," she replied rolling her eyes, "they got to me the moment we walked into the room."

"They're just curious, Hermione," her father said.

"Oh no. They're more than curious. They're ruthless. They don't stop."

"Now you know how I felt with you in class," Severus commented. Hermione just mocked him. "Though, I dare say you're correct. Your relatives are well beyond curious."

Mr. Granger chuckled. "Can I get either of you anything?"

"I'll take another scotch please."

"The same for me, Dad. Thanks."

"Two scotches coming up." He walked back into the house.

Hermione snuggled up to Severus who wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry about eh circus this has become. Although, I did warn you."

Severus kissed the top of her bushy head. "It's not your fault, Hermione. Besides, I married you. I suppose I got myself into it."

They remained cuddled together until Mr. Granger returned.

"Thanks, Dad," Hermione said, taking her drink.

"Cheers," Severus added.

The three of them stood in the back yard for a while, reveling in the silence. Mrs. Granger dragging her husband back into the house broke that silence. "Your Aunt Rose is still looking for you."

"Thanks, Mum. And why is she _my_ Aunt Rose? Why isn't she your sister Rose?" She only received a smile in response. Hermione finished her drink and turned to her husband. She fiddled with his tie a bit. "You know, you look damn sexy in this suit."

"You're only trying to make me feel better."

"No, I'm just trying to seduce you, Sev."

He smiled. "If you ever call me that in front of people, you will regret it." His smiled turned slightly evil for the briefest moment before returning to normal. Hermione did not buy it for a second though.

"You're damn sexy when you do that too." She pulled his head down to her level and kissed him hard. He let out a slight whimper in surprise and from the pressure.

"God you're good, luv." It was his turn to cause her to whimper. "Best stop for now though. _Your_ Aunt Rose will come looking for us before you know it."

"Fine. Let's get this over with. But at least we can be somewhat honest with her." Hermione sighed. "It's very tiring having to lie about half of it."

"Quite."

A half hour later they finally found themselves alone with Aunt Rose. "Hermione you must tell me how you and Severus started dating. I've heard all the gossip, but you don't really expect me to believe that it started with a stray Quidditch Bludger do you? Severus, you're not known for your love of Quidditch. And, of course, I know it wasn't because of a flat tire." Rose's eyes were absolutely shining in delight.

Severus gave Hermione a look that asked 'just how much does she know about our world?' Hermione answered in his head, 'Her son attended Durmstrang and she gets _The Daily Prophet_."

Hermione looked away and broke the mental connection. They had gotten to the point where they had only to think the connection to have it, and they were even able to do it long distance.

Hermione took a deep breath and sighed. "Well, Aunt Rose, it all starts when Snape walks into a bar . . ."

The End


End file.
